Ernest ortlepp



' tion of the bedstead, illustrating more fully a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST ORTLEPP, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

TWARDROBE-BEDSTEAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 256,497, dated April 18, 1882,.

Application filed January 11, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST ORTLEPP, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsinWVardrobe-BedsteadsorFolding Beds; and I do hereby declare that the following is afnll, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

Myinvention relates to improvements in the construction of bedsteads designed to'fold up in the similitude of a wardrobe.

The object of said invention is to produce a stronger, more simple, convenient, durable, and portable wardrobe-bedstead than any now in use by a novel combination of devices, as hereinafter set forth.

Figure .1 is a longitudinal central section through the bedstead opened out, its closed position being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a detached. elevation of the lower rear porthe combination of the counterbalance-weight therewith; and Fig. 3 is adetached transverse section through the bed-bottom, illustrating the combination of a swinging panel therewith.

A AE E is the frame forming the bottom of the bedstead. This bed-bottom A E is pivoted, as hereinafter described, to a fixed upright frame, B, provided with projecting side pieces 0 G, strengthened by a cross-bar, D. This upright frame constitutes a case within which the bed-bottom may be folded up. The under side of the bed-bottom A A is made to resemble outwardly the sides and front of award robe. Its side pieces E E are slotted longitudinally at their inner ends, (seef, Fig. 1,) so as to fit over and embrace a transverse rod, G, extending across from side to side of the lower'portion of the upright case B, the rod being securedto and supported by lateral pieces 0 (J.

The depth of the slotsf is somewhat less than the distance of the pivot-rod G above the bottom of the upright case, so that when the rod is embraced by the slots the bed-bottom may swing upon the rod into an upright position, leaving the inner ends of its side pieces E E a short distance above the floor, (see dotted lines in Fig. 1,) the inner ends of the slotsfconstituting the pivotal bearings upon which the frame swings.

A box, H, of a length nearly equal to the width of the bottom of the bedstead is swung upon the pivot-rod G by means of hooks K K, secured to the center of each end, so that when the box is free to swing upon the hooks the weight of the box and its contents is supported by the rod G and lateral pieces 0 C, Fig. 1, of the fixed case B. The width of the box is somewhat less than that of the frame of the bedbottom, so that when the bed-bottom is turned up into its upright position the box H will be inclosed by the inner end of the bottom. (See dotted lines, Fig. 1.) When in this position the box H, swinging upon it hooks K K, will bewholly supported by said hooks upon the pivot-rod G; but when the bed-bottom is dropped down its inner end, bearing against the side of the box H, will-lift and carry it up from its-vertical'toahorizontal position. Theentireweight of the box and its contents will then, as shown in Fig.1, be broughtto bear upon the inner end of the bed-bottom beyond the rod G, which serves as its fulcrum and pivotal support, and serve to counterbalance the weightofitsouter end. The counter-balance thus obtained is adjusted so as to produce a proper equipoise by means of a series of weights, L L, which are placed in the box. (See Fig. 2.) The outer end or foot of the bed-bottom is fitted with an ornamental front-piece, M, adapted to constitute a fitting head-piece for the wardrobe-front, in which form the under side of the bed-bottom is fashioned. This foot-piece M is hinged to the foot of the bed-frame at as, (see dotted lines in Fig. 1,) and a rod, N, pivoted 'to its inner side above the hinge, extends thence along the inner side of one of the side pieces E of the bed bottom, and is hinged to a short bottom is turned up upon its pivot-rod G the rod N, hinged at one end to the end of the fixed arm P and at the other to the foot-piece, will cause the latter to swing and maintain a vertical position, so as to constitute a headpiece, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1.

The sides of the bedstead are closed, when it is thrown up into an upright position, by the fixed projecting side pieces a a at the foot of the bed-bottom, which meet, when the bed is folded up, side pieces I) b upon the stationary frame, (see Fig. 1,) so that the two shall shut in the entire side. The side pieces b b are each secured to the upright frame by means of dowel-pins s s, fitting into the vertical edge thereof, and a groove upon its lower horizontal edge, adapted to receive atonguc, t, projecting from the upper edge of the fixed side piece of the upright frame B. The side pieces I) b are thus arranged to admit of ready detachment and removal when the bed is turned 7 down, so as to leave the head of the bed open,

as in ordinary forms of bedsteads.

The under side of the bed-bottom, which, when turned up, is fully exposed to view, is inclosed, and may be paneled and finished in ornamental style to represent a wardrobefront. One or more of its panels are made detachable, being held in place by means of books i 7, secured upon the edge of each side thereof, and adapted to engage a rod, w, secured upon the inner side of the bed-bottom to reach across the opening found therein to receive the panel. When thus swung in place in the opening adapted to receiveit the panel is confined by means of buttons 3 y upon the edge of the opening, or other suitable catches. Upon disengaging these buttons the panel is left free to swing upon its pivotal rod, and may be thus opened and set, as shown in Fig. 3, to afford ventilation to the inclosed space within the frame of the bed-bottom and to the bedding thereon.

The panel may also be readily removed, when thus swung open, by simply lifting the hooks off of the pivot-rod, its removal being desirable in moving the bed, and especially when the panel is faced, as I contemplate, with a looking-glass, V.

The bed is completed by means of springs formed of links of wire 0 O, stretched across the frame from side to side and end to end, and which each terminate in spiral springs m m, affording the desired elasticity to the sup port thus provided for a mattress.

In taking the bedstead apart for transportation, the detachable side pieces 11 b are taken off and the panel or panels lifted out from the bottom. The arm P is detached from the headboard or frame, and the whole bed-bottom may then by reason of the slots ff be lifted off from the pivotal supporting-rod G on the upright frame B. and thus wholly separated from said frame. The counterbalance-weights are left hanging upon the pivotal rod G, and are removed by lifting the snpportingahooks K K off from the rod.

It is evident that suitable pivotal rests, lugs, or pins projecting on either side from the uprightframe B B may be substituted for a continuous rod, G, extending across from side to side, although the latter is deemed preferable, and that sockets to engage the pins maybe secured to the side pieces as equivalents for the slots ff, by which the bed-bottom is pivoted to the frame.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- l. The combination, with the stationary frame and swinging bottom of a folding bedstead, of an independent weight or weights suspended from the stationary frame in position to be engaged and lifted by the inner end of theswinging bottom when dropped to its horizontal position, so as to counterbalance the same, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. The combination, with the footpiece M,

hinged to the outer end of the swinging bedbottom A E, of an arm, P, fi-xed to the stationary head-board or frame of the bedstead to project therefrom inside of the side pieces 0 0 of the bed, and of a concealed connecting link or rod, N, carried inside of the frame and pivoted to the foot-piece above its hinge, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. The combination, with the under side of the swinging bed-bottom A A, and with a panel, Q, fitted within an opening in the bottom, of books r 1' upon the edge of the panel, adapted to engage a rodfitted across the opening and form a detachable pivoted joint, permitting the panel to swing in theopening and be readily removed therefrom, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set ERNEST ORTLEPP.

Witnesses: DAVID A. BURR,

J. F. ACKER.

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